Thunderstorms, Heavy Rains Monday Morning In Rancho Santa Margarita

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA — Rancho Santa Margarita residents woke up Monday morning to grey skies and rain showers as a powerful storm sweeps across Southern California.

The rain is expected to clear by Tuesday, but not before thunder, heavy rain and winds hit the region through Monday.

The National Weather Service said Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms in south Orange County, and minor flooding expected to begin in Irvine, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Dana Point and Laguna Niguel.

Rancho Santa Margarita residents can expect a thunderstorm before 11 a.m. Monday, with a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11 a.m., the NWS reported.

Residents can expect temperatures to reach the high-'50s, with wind gusts reaching as high as 20 miles per hour.

Rainfall amounts for Monday will likely average between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, though higher amounts are possible in the event of thunderstorms, the National Weather Service said.

Heavy rain fell in Orange Sunday, where firefighters and paramedics pulled a man from the river during a swift water rescue in the area of the Santa Ana River and Garden Grove Boulevard. He was taken to a hospital for follow-up care.

City News Service contributed to this report.